Cryotherapy for eyelid and periocular basal cell carcinomas: outcome in 166 cases over an 8-year period

Abstract

• Background: Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common of all malignant tumours and often appears on the periocular skin. In the present study, patients with 166 eyelid and periocular BCCs were treated with cryotherapy at the Eye Clinic of the Kuopio University Hospital. Seven patients with a total of eight BCCs died during the first year after cryotherapy, of causes unrelated to BCC. These cases were excluded from the analysis of outcome. • Method: The tumours were photographed before excisional biopsy and histopathological examination. The BCCs were frozen twice with liquid nitrogen in a closed cryoprobe; a tissue thermometer was used. • Results: During the mean follow-up of 5 years for 158 BCCs, recurrences were observed in 12 cases (7.6%). The most important prognostic factors for recurrence were large tumour size (maximum diameter exceeding 10 mm), tumour extension into the lid margin, and cicatrising (morpheaform) BCC. The complications of cryotherapy were slight, but in some cases lid ectropion needed surgical correction. The functional and cosmetic results were very satisfactory in most cases. • Conclusion: Ninety-two percent of BBCs treated with cryotherapy did not recur during mean follow-up of 5.0 years (range 1.6–8.4 years).